Ghosts of Yesterday
by Kuratagi
Summary: Just R&R . . . please?
1. Introductory

  
  
  
  
This is an introductory fic that I hope to start a series with. If you like where this  
goes PLEASE review it. I have more written, I just need to know if it will take.  
  
  
Legal stuff  
I don't own Outlaw Star. Don't sue me.  
  
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It has been seven years to this day that the Leyline was discovered, pillaged, and lost   
  
once more and also, the seventh anniversary of the death of Hazanko. The crew of the   
  
Outlaw Star have since separated and each have their own lives.   
  
  
Jim Hawking, now lives on Sentinnel III, contentedly making his living repairing ships.   
  
  
Suzuka Twilight has become the number one assassin\bounty hunter in the universe, living a   
  
nomadic lifestyle, and has not yet failed an assignment, save Fred Lou.   
  
  
Aisha Clan-Clan was dismissed from the Officers corps for   
  
her failure in claiming the Leyline for Ctarl-Ctarl. She is currently a waitress on Haifong,   
  
making barely enough money to satisfy her monstrous appetite.   
  
  
Gene and Melphina Starwind were wed shortly after the disappearance of the Leyline. They   
  
own and operate the Outlaw Star just as if nothing had changed. They are still very much in   
  
love, and are the most well-known outlaws in the universe.  
  
  
They all have lost touch with one another, but one person will bring them all together, one  
person sent by the past.  
  
The ghosts of yesterday are often times far more formidable then the present, and those who  
do not understand that are as good as dead . . .  
  
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That's all for now, if you want more, review it  
  
– Kuratagi   
  



	2. Vengeance

  
  
  
  
  
  
And now the first of the series. Hope you like it  
  
  
  
  
  
Hazanko stood in a dimly lit room, waiting for his masterpiece to awaken. It   
  
was lying on a metal table. As if reading his thoughts, it opened it's bionic eyes, sat up, and   
  
looked into those of it's creator. It's face was inside a black hooded masked, and was clad in   
  
long flowing black robes. It resembled death in it's appearance, which was the way   
  
Hazanko preferred it. The creature rose from the table and stood. Hazanko could tell it   
  
was studying him, making calculations, looking for strengths and weaknesses. "Do you   
  
know what you are?" he asked.  
  
  
"No" it replied in a deep voice. It's long metallic tail swayed rhythmically, the three   
  
razor sharp points closing into a cylinder and opening again.   
  
  
"Your name is Kaalo, and you are the greatest of my minions. You have been   
  
endowed with power, your strength and agility are unmatched, and your weapons are the   
  
most advanced of any of the pirate guilds."  
  
  
"I see, and what will you have me do, master?"  
  
  
"There are several beings that I want you to eliminate, and I believe you know who   
  
those individuals are?  
  
  
"I will not fail you, master." it said.  
  
  
With that it left, leaving Hazanko by himself.  
  
  
Something about this creature was unsettling to him, something in it's eyes. This   
  
project had cost over one billion wong, not that money mattered much to him anymore, only   
  
vengeance. If something went awry, he might lose this and the XGP and that was   
  
unacceptable. But for now he brushed it off, the crew of the Outlaw Star would soon be dead  
  
and he would finally have a revenge that would most sweet.  
  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes  
I all alone beweep my outcast state,  
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries  
And look upon myself and curse my fate. . .  
  
  
This poem is all I can remember of my former life, but that is enough to show I once   
  
was alive. Hazanko wanted me to believe that he had made me. Ha! He merely paid for   
  
my kidnapping, memory wiping (which was done sloppily), and mutilation. I knew that this   
  
could not be my original form, nor was Hazanko my creator.   
  
  
After I had departed the presence of my "master" I headed down the long hallway   
  
toward the docking bay. I don't know how I knew where it was or which ship was mine. I   
  
supposed the ones who had stolen my life erased the memory of my past only, and left all   
  
other knowledge intact, so I pondered it no more. When I reached the docking bay, I made   
  
my way toward my ship, the Marl Fox.  
  
  
I was treated as commander of the ship, however I was feared, not respected. I gave   
  
the order that we were to proceed to Haifong, to kill Aisha Clan-Clan, the first name on our   
  
list. My plan was somewhat different, as you will soon see.   
  
  
  
The crew no longer needed me to direct them to this planet so I retired to my quarters,   
  
to find out more about myself than what Hazanko had told me.  
  
  
My room had a bed, a viewport, and a computer with every single data file known to   
  
the pirates. I hated these beings as much as someone without a past could, but I have to give   
  
the devil his due, they were very organized. I sat down at the console looked myself up and   
  
began analyzing the file. It was disturbing and awesome at the same time . . .  
  
  
All five senses enhanced through brain tampering, enhanced bionic eyes, muscles   
  
tweaked to give more strength, a small but very powerful tractor beam device embedded in   
  
my right hand -- it also doubled as a repulsor -- that worked on a neural interface so I could   
  
control it with my mind, a body encompassing light shield, a personal cloaking device, (The   
  
light shield can be configured to bend light around the individual using it, but it does not   
  
protect while in this state), 12 inch energy claws that were emitted from my fingertips, a   
  
small blaster focused through three rubies in my right hand that would explode on impact,   
  
trillions of nanotech robots in my bloodstream that could instantly heal almost any wound, a   
  
pneumatic metal tail with a caster gun concealed inside the tip, and finally and most   
  
frighteningly a radio-controlled self destruct right next to my heart.   
  
  
  
  
"Wow"   
  
  
I was one of the greatest scientific and militaristic achievements in history! Perhaps   
  
the most powerful sentient being in all the galaxy!! But something was amiss . . . I had not   
  
one friend in the universe, and loneliness is not an easy thing to bear. If you are in any way   
  
thinking I was the heartless monster Hazanko wanted me to be, you are mistaken.   
  
  
  
  
I stood up from the computer console and walked over to the view port, the only thing   
  
separating me from complete emptiness. I gazed at my reflection  
  
  
When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes  
I all alone beweep my outcast state  
  
  
How ironic it was . . . to have such great power on the outside and to be crushed by   
  
something internal. Poetic justice perhaps? No. This was, in no way, just. I looked into my   
  
eyes and felt that I still had a soul, the most precious thing I had still remained with me. But   
  
something else was gone, no, not something. . .someone. My mother? Father? Sister?   
  
Brother? Wife? Son? Daughter? WHO?!?! DID I EVEN HAVE ANY OF THEM?!!?  
  
  
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries  
And look upon myself and curse my fate. . .  
  
  
  
An idea occurred to me. All I had to do was take this damned mask off and see my   
  
face, then I might be able to find some identity of myself somewhere. I was about to but   
  
something stopped me. I was afraid. Afraid to see who or what might be underneath the   
  
hood. "Which is worse?" I asked myself. "Having a bad past or no past at all?"  
  
  
I had proved the old saying "There is no such thing as a dumb question" wrong.  
  
  
I squeezed my eyes shut and slowly lifted the hood. I reluctantly opened my eyes and   
  
stared at the stranger in the glass. He was a Ctarl Ctarl. A young man, maybe mid twenties   
  
maybe, with long shaggy black hair cascading down his shoulders and over his back. His face   
  
had a cleft in it's chin and high cheek bones. He had hazel colored eyes, just barely visible   
  
under his hair. He looked as though he might be from some type of Ctarl nobility.  
  
  
  
I almost couldn't believe he and I were the same. I was reminded of Narcissus and   
  
how he was obsessed with his own reflection. I snarled at him and, of course he did the   
  
same. I contorted my face and it had the exact same results.   
  
  
So here I was.  
  
  
I began to think about this situation. It made perfect sense as to why the pirates had   
  
chosen a Ctarl Ctarl, but why me? What significance did I have? Was I just chosen at   
  
random?   
  
  
All good questions. Questions which I could not answer.  
  
  
I went on musing over this subject for quite some time, until I was interrupted by a   
  
rather alarming realization. That self-destruct would put a quick end to my little escape plan.   
  
I had to get rid of it.  
  
  
But how to get to it?   
  
  
It was going to be a delicate process, but I would have to cut my chest open and   
  
extract the device. Easier said then done.   
  
  
Going on the gut feeling, I formed one of my energy claws. This was going to hurt.  
  
I then mustered my courage and plunged the crimson blade into my chest.  
  
The pain.   
  
The pain I felt at that moment, no creature should ever have to be subjected to. I   
  
screamed out but I forced myself to continue. I made a hole on my chest cavity large enough   
  
for my other hand to fit through. Aha! There was a 4 inch cylinder right beside my heart. I   
  
yanked it out and waited for the tiny robots to heal me. I collapsed on the floor beside my   
  
bed, panting, watching my blood leak on to the floor, but despite all that, I was victorious.   
  
Hazanko will pay a hundred fold for the little bit of hell I just experienced. I looked at the de-  
  
atomizer I held in my hand. There was enough anti-matter in this thing to blow a twelve-  
  
story building in half. "There may be a use for you after all" I told it breathlessly. "But not   
  
just yet."   
  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
That's all for now. What is Kaalo's plan? What does it have to do with Aisha? All  
will be explained in the next chapter. Some criticism would be appreciated, 'cause I can't  
right better if I don't get it.  
  
– Kuratagi   
  
  
  
  



	3. Unstable Alliance

  
  
  
  
  
  
And now the continuation . . .  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
A small transport vessel made it's way to the surface of Haifong. Aboard the small   
  
craft sat Kaalo. Several days after departing, the Marl Fox had reached Haifong's orbit   
  
and in that time Kaalo had discovered that his memory was slowly returning, brief flashes of   
  
his past were occurring more and more often. How this was happening, he didn't know or   
  
especially care, but all that mattered was that he would soon reclaim all that had been stolen   
  
from him.  
  
  
For now, though he had to stay focused on the task at hand: dispense of his military   
  
escort and find Aisha Clan-Clan. His plan was to rescue her and the other members of this   
  
Outlaw Star. He didn't care if they lived or died, only it would be the best way to slap   
  
Hazanko in the face before ending his life. Had he known what his, for lack of a better word,   
  
heroism would bring, he would have given the whole thing up.   
  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
Aisha Clan-Clan was walking home from a hard day's work of waiting on tables,   
  
being hit on, and of course beating the crap out those who would dare try such a foolish   
  
thing(she couldn't blame them, her waitress uniform made her look like a slut, in her   
  
opinion). Still young and vivacious, the years had no effect on her appearance or her   
  
attitude.   
  
  
  
Meaning, she still had yet to grow up.  
  
  
About three blocks from the old "Starwind and Hawking" apartment, she realized that   
  
she was hungry enough to eat an elephant, and considering Aisha, it wasn't too far from the   
  
truth. There was nothing she could do about it though, she had a whopping 1 wong bill in her   
  
purse. Damn those Government pigs! she thought for the 1-billionth time. After all the   
  
work she had done for them, they should have let her retire early, exempt of taxes, in a   
  
mansion in the capital! But, nooooo. Those no-talent jackasses had dishonorably discharged   
  
her! There's real gratitude. Now she was stuck in this dank hole for the rest of her life!  
  
  
She entered her home and promptly crashed onto the sofa and fell into a near coma,   
  
utterly exhausted.   
  
  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
Darkness had fallen upon one of the many spaceports on Haifong. The night was   
  
deathly quiet. THOOM, THOOM, THOOM, THOOM, were the sounds of laser blasts in   
  
rapid succession. At the same rate were the sounds of bodies hitting the floor, dead. Kaalo   
  
looked at his former escort and smiled to himself. This was going to be easy. He had taken   
  
care of these blundering fools and now it was time to find Miss Clan-Clan. He already knew   
  
where she lived, that was not the hard part. The hard part was explaining that Hazanko was   
  
still alive and out to kill her, without sounding ludicrous. No time like the present he   
  
thought.  
  
  
The Starwind and Hawking building was not far from his current position, so he   
  
strolled leisurely toward it, having no inclination as to who was dealing with.   
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
  
Aisha awoke to hear a loud banging on her front door. "What the hell?" she asked   
  
tiredly. She got off the sofa, stretched, and staggered toward the door. Upon seeing the grim   
  
reaper looking and coming to the quick assumption that it was not Halloween, her first   
  
thought was Pirate!  
  
  
She pulled her fist back and slammed it into him, only her hand impacted not on a   
  
face, but rather a palm. The figure had caught her punch! Reacting quickly, she jumped   
  
backwards screeched, "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE ON A CTARL CTARL HUH?!?!   
  
and changed into her beast form. The figure had just enough time for his eyes to widen in   
  
surprise before Aisha had tackled him to the street outside. She had her paws pinning down   
  
his arms and was about to rip out his throat when she heard the unmistakable powering up of   
  
a caster! She looked around to her left and saw a metal snake-like thing pointing at her   
  
mid-section. She then looked back at whoever it was.  
  
  
"Stalemate?" he said calmly. She wasn't familiar with the term, but was wise enough   
  
to understand the gist. Slowly, carefully she pulled away, allowing him to get up. He   
  
meticulously dusted himself off. "That was a bit rash."  
  
  
Aisha, deciding this . . . thing meant her no harm, reverted back into a biped. This,   
  
however left her nude and immediately the figure glanced skyward. It took her a moment to   
  
realize what he was doing. "Wimp" she muttered under her breath. "What d'ya want?"  
  
  
Still looking up, he said "Such matters are best discussed indoors and . . . fully   
  
clothed."  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
"HE'S WHAT?!?" exclaimed Aisha.  
  
  
Kaalo was sitting on the sofa and said "For the last time, Hazanko is alive and he   
  
ordered me to kill you and the other Outlaw Star crew members"  
  
  
Aisha stood up in defiance. "Impossible! I saw the bastard die! And what does he   
  
have to do with you anyway?" she yelled.  
  
  
"It just so happens he had me kidnapped, and made me his personal assassin."  
  
  
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion "Why should I believe you?"  
  
  
He rolled up his sleeve and showed her a tattoo of a yin-yang, the universal pirate   
  
insginia. "That's why. If I wanted to kill you, you'd would be dead by now.   
  
  
"You think so, huh?" she challenged  
  
  
He ignored the challenge "The way I see it we have, maybe a couple of hours at the   
  
most to get out of here before they track us down and kill you.   
  
  
"Hey! What do you mean me?"  
  
  
"He can't kill me with just his underlings, he'd have to do it himself, even then, that   
  
would not be an easy task." he said with confidence.  
  
  
"Wait a sec' isn't he supposed to be super-crazy powerful or something?"  
  
  
Kaalo sat back and thought on this. "My best guess would be that when you and your   
  
  
compatriots blew him up, it weakened him, it just didn't kill him."  
  
  
"Then how di "  
  
  
"Look, Aisha" he interrupted. "I don't have the answers to everything, all I know is   
  
that Hazanko's alive and he wants you dead! Is that clear enough?"  
  
  
Aisha sat back down and buried her face in her hands, trying to take it all in.  
  
After a moment she looked at him. "I didn't catch your name"  
  
  
"I go by Kaalo"  
  
  
"Why are you doing this?"  
  
  
Kaalo sat back and said, "My reasons are my own. Now, when can you leave?"  
  
  
Aisha thought about her life on Haifong: no real job, no real freinds, no real   
  
excitement, no real life. "Just let me get my bags packed . . ."  
  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
Finally I was going to leave this hell hole known as Haifong! How? Who cares? I   
  
was going! I had just stepped outside. The thrill and exhilaration of departure swept through   
  
my soul like a breeze. It was now the wee hours of the morning and just cold enough I was   
  
making steam with my breath. Nothing could beat this feeling. I was ecstatic.  
  
  
"Took you long enough." said a gruff voice to my left. There was Kaalo, leaning   
  
against the side of the building.  
  
  
"Well," I replied, "A delicate flower like myself has to be concerned with the way she   
  
looks. I don't want to HIDE behind a mask."  
  
  
He just stared at me like I was an idiot and said "You mean you took an hour to   
  
powder your nose when your doom could be around the corner?"  
  
  
"And pack!"  
  
  
He let out this long, exasperated sigh "Oh, never mind. Lets go" with that said he  
started walking.  
  
  
"How far's your ship?" I asked.  
  
  
"15 minute walk"   
  
  
Along the way I tried to be polite and make some conversation. "Why do you wear a   
  
mask? Ya ugly?"   
  
  
"That isn't for me to decide, and I'm not being shy, this mask provides a tactical   
  
advantage. A lot can be told from one's facial expressions. I don't have to worry about that"  
  
  
I now knew that this was an assassin, because I can remember Suzu sounding a lot   
  
like that.  
  
  
"Uh huh . . . can we get something to eat, I'm starving"  
  
  
"Suit yourself, the ship's at docking bay 8"  
  
  
"But I don't have any wongs!"  
  
  
"That isn't my problem, if your so famished you can go steal some food" he said   
  
nonchalantly.  
  
  
I was appalled. "I'm a Ctarl Ctarl! I would never resort to stealing! Nor would any   
  
other Ctarl Ctarl with any honor!"  
  
  
He walked forward a ways, then stopped, his back to me. "Why do you brag about   
  
being something you had nothing to do with becoming? Just because you happen to be a   
  
certain race, does not make you better than anyone, and until you learn that, then you are no   
  
better then the dirt others walk on. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must make ready our   
  
transportation" he said acidly. He began walking to the spaceport.  
  
  
I couldn't say anything. Those words were like a slap in the face. That son of a   
  
bitch! How dare he judge me!?! Yet . . . there seemed an wrathful honesty in his voice that   
  
made the accusation hard to deny. This wasn't over, no, not by a long shot. I was going to   
  
prove him wrong and show myself that he knew nothing about me! I'd show that jerk who   
  
Aisha Clan-Clan really was!  
  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
Kaalo had been making all the necessary preparations for take-off when something on   
  
a monitor bleeped, showing that someone had entered the craft. Aisha he thought. He   
  
liked people who valued pride, they were easy to manipulate. He heard the approaching   
  
footsteps and he could tell that they had lost the spring they had had before. He was   
  
beginning to doubt his sanity when his enhanced hearing picked up a small sniffle. He had   
  
made her cry. So what? It was none of his concern what her emotional state was. If she was   
  
upset it was because everything he had said was true. The footsteps paused, more sniffling,   
  
and then Aisha walked in, her head held in a dignified manner, and sat down in the   
  
  
navigators chair.  
  
  
"All systems green, we have clearance from the tower, are you ready?"  
  
  
Aisha stared into his eyes with pure, unbridled hatred. "Yes." she said through   
  
clenched teeth.  
  
  
"I'm glad" he said, a smile touching his voice. "Let's depart, shall we?"  
  
  
With a giant rumbling sound the transport took off into space.   
  
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So how was it? Any comments, questions, flames, praises, would be much  
appreciated. A little taste of what's next:   
  
Kaalo and Aisha don't stay enemies, but it will take something tragic for their standoff to   
end . . . They might become friends or even more (^ - ^), but I'm not sure.  
  
Oh, by the way, the poem in Kaalo's POV (previous chapter) was an excerpt from Sonnet 29  
by William Shakespear  
  
  
Kuratagi  
  
  



	4. Shattered Past

  
  
  
I don't own OLS, don't sue me  
  
  
Copywrite 2001   
  
Sorry this is so late. School is quite the bitch, but come May 25, I will be free of it  
and able to get these done quicker. Hey, if this ends up sucking, tell me what I'm doing  
wrong ok?   
  
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Captain Jokhura, commanding officer of the Marl Fox, watched the transport as it   
  
flew across the view port.  
  
  
"Should I open fire sir?" a young lieutenant inquired.  
  
  
"No", he answered. Why should they waste the energy to destroy the small craft   
  
when the had a perfectly good bomb that was already made for it. "Hail them one last time,   
  
and if they don't respond I'll take care of it myself."   
  
  
The lieutenant did as ordered. "No response"  
  
  
Jokhura frowned sternly. Lord Hazanko would not be pleased with this.   
  
  
He pulled Kaalo's self-destruct from his vest pocket. He hesitated, feeling   
  
something was wrong, and then pressed ACTIVATE.   
  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
Aisha Clan-Clan was convinced she was looking at a mad man. Not only had  
  
Kaalo flown into the range of a battle cruiser, but the same one the had gotten him here!   
  
  
"Are you crazy, or are you just stupid?!?" she screamed, frantically.  
  
  
He just sat there, calm and cool as ever "Must you always yell? It makes my job   
  
difficult having to listen to your pointless banter." he said, with no hint of urgency  
  
  
"That's a battle cruiser!"  
  
  
"You state the obvious"  
  
  
"We're in it's range!"  
  
  
"It's simply astounding how quickly you can deduce such complicated matters.   
Watch   
  
closely, imbecile."  
  
  
Not knowing what else to do, Aisha watched. For a few seconds nothing happened,   
  
then the larger ship exploded into a ball of flaming wreckage, with pieces of shrapnel   
  
careening in all directions.  
  
  
Aisha, for once, was speechless. "How in the-?" she managed.  
  
  
"How? I might tell you later, but right now I don't feel like explaining it to you." He   
  
looked at a monitor. "It's 6 AM, your time, I suggest we get some rest. We'll be at   
  
Sentinnel III in about 70 hours, so you have plenty of time."  
  
  
Aisha looked up excitedly, "You mean we're going to get Jim?"   
  
  
"Yes" Kaalo stood up from the commanders chair and was about to go to the ships   
  
living quarters, when suddenly he grasped the side of his head and grunted in pain.   
  
  
"You okay?" Aisha asked.  
  
  
He composed himself. "I'm fine" he again tried to get to the living quarters, but the   
  
pain returned, only far more intense. He had to lean against the wall of the ship to keep from   
  
collapsing.  
  
  
"What's wrong with you?" asked Aisha, now with concern in her voice.  
  
  
The pain again subsided. He didn't say anything, just staggered a little ways and fell   
  
face first on the floor, unconscious.  
  
  
Aisha stared at the now prone Kaalo and shook her head. "You're just full of surprises   
  
aren't ya?"   
  
  
  
~~~~*~~~~  
  
  
Memories. Memories haunt us all. Some are heartbreaking, some are just a   
  
nuisance, while others are the only possessions you have that make you happy. Whatever   
  
they may be, good or bad, you always subconsciously know that they will stay with you   
  
forever, no matter what. So you take them for granted . . . or at least I did.   
  
  
My name is, or was, Joseph Cantri and my life, every bit of it, had returned in one   
  
torrent. All that was too much for my mind to take in all at once, and I passed out.  
  
  
Whilst I laid on the floor, unconscious, I relived every moment I had ever   
  
experienced.   
  
  
I could remember everything, except the last couple of years were still a bit of a blur   
  
to me. But there are some things that were clear during that time. Pain. Indescribable,   
  
terrifying, pain. The other thing that I remembered was far worse then pain.  
  
  
My parents, and my brother were murdered right in front of my eyes. Heartbroken, I   
  
wondered why? The answer to that would come later.   
  
  
My next sensation was that of someone slapping my face very hard. I opened my  
eyes   
  
  
to see Aisha on top of me bending over me with actual worry in her eyes. She had unmasked   
  
me, I assume, to check my pulse and now asked me if I was alright.  
  
  
I didn't answer. How could I? I had just witnessed my family slaughtered and if   
  
there was one person I did not want to see me vulnerable, it was her.  
  
  
I shoved her away, got up, and hurriedly walked to the living quarters. Upon   
  
entering, I made the quick discovery that there was only one room with five beds. Such   
  
perfection. To put the cherry on the parfe', Aisha was going to be my roommate for three  
  
days. So much for not being vulnerable.  
  
  
I plopped myself down on the nearest bed, and entwined my fingers in my lap, feeling   
  
emptier then the void itself. I didn't have anything or anyone. No one cared about me, no   
  
one needed me. I had no reason to live. If I were to die, would anybody notice? Would   
  
anyone even pay a passing glance to my grave? No on both counts. And who did I have to   
  
blame for this?   
  
  
Hazanko.  
  
  
He was the one who had my family ripped to bloody shreds. He was the one who   
  
made me endure the pain! I vowed that day to do exactly the same to him, Christ as my   
  
witness! And once I had, my shell of a life would end and death . . . could only be my   
  
liberation from this prison.   
  
  
It was at that time that there was a soft knocking on the door.  
  
  
"Go away." I growled. It would have sounded more intimidating if my damnable   
  
voice hadn't cracked.  
  
  
  
Despite my wishes, Aisha entered and sat beside me.   
  
  
"What in the hell happened back there?" she asked.  
  
  
My first impulse was to insult her intelligence and tell her to go away, but that   
  
wouldn't help anything, and, hell, what did I have to lose by telling her?  
  
  
I told her who I used to be and I was, in my view, a cyborg, engineered to kill. I   
  
showed her my various weapons and gadgets. I explained my extracting of the self-destruct   
  
and that that was how the Marl Fox met it's end. I told her why I had bothered to "save" her,   
  
why I had collapsed, and finally . . . of my family.   
  
  
As much as I tried, I could not stop the ever-so smallest of tears from welling up in   
  
my eyes.  
  
  
For what seemed like years, neither of us spoke, then she broke the silence "I'm   
  
sorry" she said quietly. In a comforting gesture, she put her arm around me. I knew this was   
  
hard or her to do and I appreciated it.  
  
  
"Aisha" I said.  
  
  
"Yeah"  
  
  
"I was wrong about you, you're a better person than I said you were." I admitted.  
  
  
She nodded, then said "One more thing. . ."  
  
  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
  
"Can I call you Joey?"  
  
  
In spite of all that had happened, I smiled.  
  
  
  
  
Awwwww, wasn't that sweet? Well, I thought it was. Anyhoo, as always R&R,  
comments, criticism and flames are welcome. On a personal note, I would like to thank  
everyone who reviewed, and I'd like to thank fanfic writers everywhere who put so much  
hard work and dedication into their stories ::raises shot glass in honor::   
  
BTW does anyone know where I can get OLS on DVD cheap? I've had to watch  
cartoon network (berate me if you want) to actually write this. Pathetic isn't it? If you guys  
could help me, I'd be grateful.  
  
Kuratagi  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Things change

  
  
  
  
  
  


Wow, it's been a long time huh? Ya wanna know why? Because, for the last chapter got a whole one freakin' review! I know that's probably my fault somehow, but there is nothing more disheartening to a writer when his stuff isn't being read. Even flames show that people are reading the story, so if you don't like it, feel free to verbally tear me apart. I don't care if you've got grounds for it or not, just review the damn fic!

  
  
  
  
  
  


"Why Joey? Why?" Aisha's voice echoed in a hollow tone. Very confused, the only 

  
  


thing Kaalo could see was darkness. "Why?" her voice now cried directly behind him. Now 

  
  


very unnerved, he thought What the hell's going on?! He turned around and stared in horror 

  
  


at what he saw. Aisha was standing there, with gaping wounds in her side. The skin around 

  
  


them looked like it had been burned through, the wounds themselves looked like claw marks and 

  
  


the blood was flowing freely from them. What was more disturbing, all he could see was her 

  
  


and nothing else, not even the end of his nose. All of a sudden there was a high pitched whistle, 

  
  


an exploding sound, and a blinding light bombarded his eyes. After getting used to it, he gasped 

  
  


as he saw that his arms, all the way up to his shoulders were covered in blood. He looked back 

  
  


at Aisha, who merely closed her eyes and slowly shook her head in what looked almost like 

  
  


disappointment. For what seemed forever, nothing happened, then Aisha fell to her knees, 

  
  


looked to him with tears in her eyes and whispered "Why?" one final time, before falling dead.

  
  
  
  


Kaalo a.k.a Joseph Cantri woke up in a cold sweat and the only sound that reached his 

  
  


ears was Aisha's soft snoring a couple of beds over. He let out a sigh of relief, now knowing it 

  
  


was just a dream. "Thank God" he muttered. Not caring what time it was or how much sleep he 

  
  


had gotten, he slid quietly out of bed walked toward the door, when he heard Aisha say in her 

  
  


sleep, "Hamburgerrrrrrs" 

A little taken aback, he whispered, "What?!"

  
  
  
  


"Hamburgerrrrrs!" she said, sounding almost urgent. (A/N: My uncle actually did this, so 

  
  


it is possible ^_^)

  
  
  
  


At least you're not having nightmares he thought, comically. He let out yet another 

  
  


sigh, "Might as well check our progress" he told himself, because God knows he wouldn't get 

  
  


back to sleep anytime soon. 

  
  
  
  


~~~~*~~~~

  
  
  
  


After monotonously checking everything from the Nav. Computer, to what was in the 

  
  


glove compartment - 6 twinkies, a bottle of cheap wine, a bag of plastic cups, and a miniature 

  
  


chess set - out of sheer boredom, Kaalo found himself mentally reciting the twenty brightest 

  
  


stars. Sirius, Canopus, Alpha Centauri, Arcturus, Vega, Campella . . . Rigel 

  
  
  
  


This was far too futile to continue. Instead, he took out the chessboard and began to play 

  
  


both sides equally hard. He remembered that he was exceptionally good at this game, able to 

  
  


form stratagems that his opponents never saw. Well, that was all well and good but that 

  
  


wouldn't work when playing himself, but the advantage was, he always won. As he played, he 

  
  


couldn't help his mind from drifting to the other Ctarl Ctarl in the living quarters. She was 

  
  


dense, illogical, and rather unpredictable, but strangely, he found himself attracted to her. He 

  
  


knew it was not her looks. Although unquestionably beautiful, he knew it was something 

  
  


deeper, something a little less tangible . . . something hidden. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Are you insane? he asked himself. The two of you are more different than black and 

  
  


white. What was more perplexing was, all through his life he had never had much to do with 

  
  


the opposite sex. Oh, he had had a crush here and there as a teenager, but he had just passed 

  
  


them off as the sudden rush of hormones and thought nothing more about it. Also, regarded his 

  
  


male peers who succumbed to temptation as weak and "a bunch of sex-driven rednecks" as he 

  
  


called them. But now . . . now it seemed different, almost plausible. It was at about that time 

  
  


his brain and his heart got into a heated argument, while his consciousness sat back and 

  
  


watched, deciding which one to side with. The Brain insisted that if the they were to kill 

  
  


Hazanko, they wouldn't live through it, so why bother? The Heart declared that they came to 

  
  


Asisha's aid for a reason, if not of their own accord, then by fate. Besides, being in love was the 

  
  


greatest feeling anyone could ever experience, why would they deny themselves that? 

  
  


LOVE?!?!?! his consciousness bellowed at his heart. I've known her the whole one day! It 

  
  


is impossible to feel that way about anything in that time frame!

  
  


Oh, like you'd know! exclaimed the Heart

  
  


Shut up, you damn pansy! interjected the Brain

  
  


No one asked your opinion, smart ass! his consciousness hollered at his brain.

  
  
  
  


And so the mental melee went on between the three entities he consisted of, logic, 

  
  


emotion, and mind, for quite some time. Finally, he came to a decision. He sided with logic. 

  
  


He always had, and it had never failed him, but now the heart complained and bitched at him, 

  
  


which it had never done before. It told him he was wrong and he would regret it. In his opinion, 

  
  


the Heart never made sense and he gave it very little leeway in decision making, but something 

  
  


in the back of his mind was nipping at him, as if there might be some substance behind the 

  
  


Heart's ludicrous ideas.

  
  


Silencing all parties he placed his finger on his rook, slowly slid it down the chessboard 

  
  


to place the white king in check. No, correction, he thought. "Checkmate" 

  
  
  
  


He suddenly became aware that he was very, very, tired and very, very, hungry. So, he 

  
  


devoured three of the twinkies, guzzled some of the wine, and fell into confusing, yet normal 

  
  


dreams.

  
  
  
  


~~~~*~~~~

  
  


A few hours later, Aisha Clan-Clan awoke and was ravenous. She hadn't eaten in almost 

  
  


twelve hours! She got off the bed and stretched, yawning deeply as she did so. She shuffled to 

  
  


the bathroom, rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, took a shower, changed into her usual clothes, 

  
  


brushed her slept-in hair and fixed the braid, the usual routine she always did when she woke up. 

Upon having completed her daily chores, she noticed that Joey wasn't in the living quarters. 

  
  


"Joey!" she chuckled. Calling that guy "Joey" was like calling a nine ft., six-hundred lb., man, 

  
  


"Tiny." He's weird, she thought. First he had been disturbing, then unfeeling, then 

  
  


conceited, and finally sorrowful, in the span of a couple of hours. 'Complicated' might be a 

  
  


better word, Aish. How would you feel if . . . that happened to you? she asked herself, and she 

  
  


didn't want to know. Suddenly, there came an unearthly sound from her stomach, telling her in 

  
  


no uncertain terms that it wanted food and it wanted it now. So, she went to go find Joe and 

  
  


demand that they stop at the next café'. What she found was Joe curled up in a ball, asleep, next 

  
  


to a half-empty wine bottle and a travel chess set. Was he playing a game, drunk? That 

  
  


would've been funny to watch. She then grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him awake, 

  
  


from which he let out something that sounded like "Maaaowr"

  
  
  
  


"Not a morning person, huh?" she told him.

  
  


He muttered something along the lines of "It's not morning and your not funny" 

  
  
  
  


She ignored his grouchiness. "Look," she said. "we need to get some food"

  
  
  
  


He sat up and blinked, trying to wake up. "I agree. What do you suggest?"

  
  
  
  


She looked at him like he was clueless. "That we stop and get some food, duh."

  
  
  
  


"Well, I'm sorry if I'm not as razor sharp as you!" He replied mockingly

  
  
  
  


~~~~*~~~~

  
  
  
  


Thirty minutes later, both Aisha and Joseph were at a dimly lit booth in some place 

  
  


called "The Black Hole." They had scrounged the ship and had been fortunate enough to find 

  
  


enough money for both meals, which was quite a bit considering the typical Ctarl appetite. 

  
  
  
  


"Were you surprised?" Joseph asked, out of the blue.

  
  
  
  


"'Bout what?" Asked Aisha, happily chewing her burger.

  
  
  
  


"When you found out I was a Ctarl"

  
  
  
  


"Nah"

  
  
  
  


"Why not?"

  
  
  
  


"Oh, c'mon, give some credit! it was obvious"

  
  
  
  


He ran through all the previous events and could find nothing that could given that away. 

  
  


"How so?"

  
  
  
  


Aisha finished chewing and swallowing her food then said. "Remember when I tried to 

  
  


hit you?"

  
  
  
  


"Yeah, so?"

  
  
  
  


"If you weren't a Ctarl, it would've broken your wrist"

  
  
  
  


He thought about that for half a second and concluded that she was right. "I suppose 

  
  


your-" was as far as he got. Someone lunged seemingly out of nowhere, grabbed Aisha from 

  
  


behind and held a gun to her head. Joseph stood up and was about to cave the bastard's skull in. 

  
  
  
  


"Uh, uh ,uhhhh, not unless you want Kitten's brains splattered on the floor. Now if you 

  
  


come with me, no one gets hurt." said the man.

  
  
  
  


From behind the gunman there was a loud BANG and simultaneously, the gunman's 

  
  


forehead split open as a bullet passed through his head. He let go off Aisha and fell to the 

  
  


ground, dead before he hit the ground.

  
  
  
  
  
  


"Holy Shit!!!" Aisha exclaimed. She turned around to see who had fired the shot and 

  
  


was astounded to see someone whom she knew very well. Someone with shaggy red hair, blue 

  
  


eyes, and one hell of a lot of scars. "GENE?!?!" she shouted.

  
  
  
  


"Hey, Aisha" Gene said with that famous cocky half smile. "Who's your friend?"

  
  
  
  


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
  
  
  


Ok, now let's go through this one more time: You will review it, be it good or be it bad, and I will write more and a lot more often, k? 

  
  
  
  
  
  


- The Crimson One,

Kuratagi


End file.
